1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electromagnetic relay having the following features:
a housing has a cap with an essentially closed top, closed side walls and an open bottom, which can be closed by a bottom part. PA0 arranged in the housing are a contact system, with contact connecting elements which are guided out of the housing, and a magnet system whose coil is located adjacent to the closed top of the cap, and PA0 the winding ends of the coil are connected in each case to supporting elements, which are anchored in a coil former and, for their part, are electrically conductively connected to coil connecting elements which are guided out through the bottom. PA0 the coil connecting elements are guided in insulated fashion in each case in a side wall of the cap, from the bottom as far as the region of the top of the cap, and open in a depression of the cap top, which is open outwards, PA0 the supporting elements of the coil former, which are electrically connected to the coil, are guided in insertion openings with respect to the cap top and likewise open in each case in one of the depressions, and PA0 in each depression, the respective end of a supporting element is conductively connected to the end of a coil connecting element. PA0 the cap is formed with the coil connecting elements embedded in at least one side wall, with depressions on the cap top in the region of the ends of the coil connecting elements and with insertion openings in the region of the depressions, PA0 the magnet system and the contact system are inserted into the open cap, supporting elements embedded in the coil former being inserted with free ends into the insertion openings in the cap, and PA0 in each case one supporting element is conductively connected to one coil connecting element in the depressions on the cap top.
In addition, the invention relates to a production method for such a relay.
2. Description of the Related Art
A relay having the above-described construction is disclosed, for example, by German published application 38 35 105. A narrow construction is achieved by the disclosed arrangement of the coil above the contact system in the closed upper region of the housing. As a result of the arrangement of the contact elements in the vicinity of the connection side in the lower part of the housing, short electrical connections are also ensured between the contacts and the associated connecting pins, which not only permits a saving in material and manufacturing steps, but also provides advantages with respect to heat dissipation and the insulation between the contact elements and the magnet system. This structural shape is therefore preferably used for heavy-current and mains relays.
As a result of the arrangement of the coil in the upper region of the housing, it is, however, necessary to guide the coil connecting elements via a relatively long path up to the connection side of the relay, it being necessary, however, to ensure the insulation to the PG,4 ferromagnetic circuit parts of the magnet system and to the contact elements. Especially when the relay is used at relatively high voltages, this insulation requires a notinconsiderable space in the housing, either in the form of corresponding projections of the coil former or in the form of additional insulating parts.